Chapter 3The Fire That Saved Me

I was dragged out of the hospital before I could process what was happening.

He drove like a maniac back to our house. As soon as we pulled up, I smelled thick, acrid smoke.

Ethan was sweating, panic written all over his face. He threw his shoulder against the front door. "Chloe! Don't be scared! I'm here!"

I had a severe phobia of fire from a traumatic incident in my past. My legs turned to jelly. But it was an emergency, so I tried to help him with the door.

Ethan shoved me away. "Get the hell out of my way! If she hadn't been trying to make soup for you to help your health, this fire wouldn't have happened! You jinx!"

I laughed in disbelief. She burned my kitchen down, and it was my fault?

Ethan kicked the door open and charged into the smoke.

The house was ruined. In the kitchen, he found Chloe coughing on the floor. He scooped her up like she was made of glass.

"Boohoo, Ethan, I really didn't mean to! Sarah won't be mad at me, will she?" Chloe whimpered, playing the victim perfectly.

"Of course not," Ethan soothed her. "It was an accident. I'm here. No one will touch you."

The flames were spreading fast. I wanted to tell him we needed to leave now.

But Ethan turned to me, eyes red with rage. He grabbed my hair. "Look at what you made her do! Apologize to her! Now!"

I choked on the smoke, struggling. "Let... let go! We need to get out!"

He didn't listen. "Stop making excuses! You jealous, vicious woman. You deserve to be punished!"

I was dizzy from the fumes. Suddenly, a heavy wall cabinet, weakened by the fire, crashed down from above.

"Chloe, watch out!"

Ethan dove, shielding Chloe with his body.

The burning cabinet crashed onto me. A red-hot metal rod pierced my thigh. I screamed in agony. "Ethan! Help me! I'm pinned!"

Ethan looked back. His eyes were cold. He picked up Chloe and turned toward the door.

"You deserve this," he spat. "Even God can't stand your jealousy."

I watched his back disappear into the smoke. My hope died with him.

The fire roared around me. I closed my eyes, accepting my fate. If there is a next life, I thought, I never want to meet Ethan Miller again.

Just as consciousness slipped away, I heard a voice. Rough, urgent.

"Hey! Stay with me! I'm going to get you out!"

When I opened my eyes again, I was in a white hospital room.

A nurse was adjusting my IV, and a tall man with soot-stained clothes was frowning by the window.

"You're finally awake!" the nurse said. "Where is your family? No one has come."

My throat felt like sandpaper. "I... I don't know."

The tall man stepped forward. "When I went in to get you, your husband was running out with another woman. Did you know that?"

I let out a dry laugh. "You saved me? Thank you."

"As for him... he only saves the people he cares about. My life means nothing to him."

I learned the man was Will, a retired firefighter who lived nearby and saw the smoke.

"Take care of yourself," Will said, his expression unreadable, pouring me a glass of water.

My heart warmed. A stranger would risk his life for me, but my husband left me to burn. It was time to let go completely.

Just as I was asking Will how I could repay him, the door slammed open.

Ethan stormed in, face thunderous.

"Sarah! Are you playing games with me?"

"I went back to save you and you were gone! Do you know how long I looked? And here you are, flirting with some strange man?"

I sighed. Before I could speak, he grabbed my wrist, yanking me up. The IV needle ripped out of my hand. I cried out in pain.

Will stepped between us, shoving Ethan back. "She's a patient! Be careful! Are you even a man?"